Automatic crossing-signal.



'H. MACHAC.

AUTOMATIC CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE15. 1915.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

HENRY MACHAG, F CROWELL, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC CROSSING-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application filed June 15, 1915. Serial No. 34,185.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY MACIELAO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crowell, in the county of Foard'and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Crossing-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signaling, and more specifically to automatic crossing signals.-

An object of my invention is to provide a railway crossing signal adapted to be automatically displayed at a grade crossing by a train upon its approach to the crossing and automatically withdrawn from operative position by the train when the latter reaches a point proximate to the crossing. It will, therefore, be seen that the signal is displayed temporarily upon the approach of a train and just before the train reaches the crossing is removed from view.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the detailed clescription and drawings forming a part of this specification.

Furthermore, this invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more particularly described in the following specification and embodied in the claim appended hereunto and forming a part of this application.

Referring now to the drawings, which are merely illustrative of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a railway track showing my device applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring further to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the respective views, 1 designates the rails of a railway, mounted in the conventional manner upon cross ties 2. At'the crossing point there is mounted beneath the rails l and between two of the ties 2, supports 3 adapted to form a bearing for av shaft 4, the said supports being oppositely disposed near both ends of the ties. Intermediate said supports and mounted upon the under side of said ties is a block 5 formed with a groove 6 and a vertical perforation 7 centrally therethrough. A signal pin 8,'formed with a head 9, is slidably mounted within said perforatlon in such manner that the head 9 thereof will engage with the top of a circular recess 7 and concentric with the vertical perforation 7 through the block 5. A disk member 10 is eccentrically mounted upon said shaft 4 at a point opposite the groove in said block 5. 1

A downwardly extending link 11 is connected at one end thereof to one end of said shaft, and at the other end to one end of a connecting rod 12, which is pivoted to the lower end of a trip or rock arm 13. Said trip member is pivotally mounted at 14 centrally thereof upon a support 15 mounted beneath the rails 1 on one side of the track, so that the upper end of said trip member will be adjacent said rails.

A lever 16 ispivotally mounted upon a support 17 interposed-between two of the ties 2 adjacent the ends thereof. The lower end of said lever is formed with a longitudinal slot 18 therethrough, adapted to pivotally engage with said connecting rod 12 at a point intermediate its ends.

Spaced apart a considerable distance from said lever 16 is a trip or rock arm 19, pivotally mounted adjacent the outside of the rails 2, upon a support 20 mounted beneath said rails. A spring stop 21 is mounted upon one of the ties 2 adjacentsaid support 20, and is adapted to regulate the backward movement of said trip member 19. The lower end of said trip member is adapted to engage with one end of a horizontally disposed link 22 which is retained in position by means of a hanger 23. Interposed between the other end the upper end of said lever 16 is a connecting rod 24.

In describing the operation of my device, I shall refer to the end where the disk 10 is mounted as the forward end of the device, and the other endjthe'rearward end. When the signal is in position'tobe operated by an oncoming train, the top of the rock arm 19 extends rearwardly, the rock arm 13 and the lever 16 extend forwardly, and the disk 10 is so disposed that the greater are thereof will depend downwardly with respect to its bearing and the groove 6 in the block 5.

The approaching train contacts with the rock arm 19 and pushes it to a forwardly extending position. This forces the lower centrally of said groove 6 of said link 22 and the connecting rod 21 backwardly, thu

a further enlarge upon the same herein.

end of said rock arm to pull the link 22 anFE ng signal being obvious, it is unnecessary ,2

pulling the lever 16 backwardly and placing the rock arm 13 in a rearwardly posed position. By pulling the lever 16 backwardly, the connecting rod 12 and link 11 are moved forwardly, thereby causing a partial revolution of the eccentrically mounted disk 10 so that the edge thereof will move upwardly within the groove 6, engaging with the head 9 of the signal pin 8 and forcing the pin upwardly within the perforation 7. In its raised position the signal pin indicates the approach of a train. The pin 8 remains in raised position during the passage of the train between the rock arms 19 and 13,- and the position of the respective parts remain as last eX- plained'.

As soon as the train reaches the point near the crossing where the trip member 13 is located, it contacts with said rock arm, thereby forcing it'to a forwardly disposed position. This movement causes the connecting rod 12 and the link 11 to be pulled back-wardly and the disk 10 to return to lowered position; the signal pin 8 falling by gravity within the perforation 7. Furthermore, as the connecting rod 12 is pulled backwardly, the upper end of the lever 16 is moved forwardly, thereby causing a forward pull upon the connecting rod 2% and the link 22, which in turn replaces the rock arm 19 in a rearwardly disposed position ready to operate the signal upon the approach of the next oncoming train.

The utility, adaptability, and advantages of my improved form of automatic cross- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for dis- Having now described and pointed out .he new and useful features of my invention, I do not limit myself to the shape of certain parts where the shape is not essential, nor do I restrict myself to the exact details of construction shown and described, but mean and intend to claim all equivalents and variations thereof not departing in principle from my invention and falling within the purview of the appended claim.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a railway crossing signal, a signal member, an operating shaft therefor, a pair of oppositely movable rock arms, one of said rock arms being disposed distant from the crossing and the other of said rock arms being positioned between first said rock arm and the crossing and adjacent the latter, an oscillatable lever having one end pivotally connected with said operating shaft and with said second rock arm and positioned. between the latter and the railway crossing, and a connecting rod interposed between first said rock arm and said oscillatable lever, whereby upon the approach of atrain first said rock arm will be actuated to move the signal to indicating position and when the train reaches a point proximate the crossing the second said rock arm will be actuated to return the signal to normal inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature hereto.

HENRY MACHAG.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

